Cap Bon: Hammamet, Nabeul & Kelibia
The Cap Bon Peninsula juts into the Mediterranean like a finger — Sicily is only 140 km away. The most fertile region of Tunisia (vineyards, citrus groves, jasmine fields) is also the country's most important tourism area.
★★★ Hammamet
Tunisia's most famous seaside resort and birthplace of Tunisian tourism. In the 1920s, the European elite discovered the place — the Romanian millionaire George Sebastian built his famous villa here (now a cultural center), Oscar Wilde and Gustave Flaubert were already guests earlier.
Hammamet is divided into two areas:
- Hammamet-Medina: The charming, small old town by the sea with Kasbah, souks, and fish restaurants. The Kasbah (fortress, 15th century) offers a magnificent view over the bay from the wall. Less hectic than Sousse or Tunis.
- Hammamet-Yasmine: The modern tourist zone 10 km south with large resorts, marina, water park, and a recreated Medina (kitschy but popular). Here are the large all-inclusive hotels.
The beaches of Hammamet are among the most beautiful in Tunisia: fine, golden sand, shallow, warm water, ideal for families.
Arrival: Louage from Tunis (1h, 3€). Bus (1.5h). Train to Bir Bou Regba + taxi (30 min.).
★★ Nabeul
The capital of Cap Bon, only 10 km north of Hammamet, is known for three things: ceramics, orange blossom water, and the largest Friday market in Tunisia.
- Ceramic Workshops: Nabeul is Tunisia's ceramic capital. Along Avenue Habib Bourguiba, shops with hand-painted ceramics line up — from plates to tiles to vases. In the workshops on the outskirts, you can watch potters at work.
- Friday Market: The weekly souk of Nabeul is a spectacle. Thousands come to buy fresh fruit, spices, ceramics, clothing, and household goods. Authentic, loud, colorful — and free of tourists.
- Orange Blossom Festival (April): Nabeul celebrates its orange blossom with a festival full of flower floats, music, and dance. The distilled orange blossom water (Eau de fleur d'oranger) is ubiquitous in Tunisian cuisine and cosmetics.
- Archaeological Museum: Small but fine — with finds from the Punic city of Neapolis, which lies beneath present-day Nabeul.
Arrival: Louage from Hammamet (15 min., 1€). Louage from Tunis (1.5h, 3€).
★★ Kelibia
The fortress city on the east coast of Cap Bon is an underrated insider tip. The massive Byzantine fortress (6th century, on Punic foundations) towers 150 meters above the sea and offers perhaps the most beautiful coastal view in Tunisia — on a clear day, all the way to Sicily.
- Fortress of Kelibia: The best-preserved Byzantine fortress in Tunisia. The walls date from various eras — Punic, Roman, Byzantine, Arab. At the top: a breathtaking panoramic view.
- Beach of Mansourah: 2 km north lies one of Tunisia's most beautiful beaches — a curved sandy bay with crystal-clear water, even in high summer not overcrowded.
- Fishing: Kelibia is Tunisia's most important fishing port. At the port, there are excellent fish restaurants where the catch of the day goes straight on the grill.
- Muscat Wine: The region produces the famous Muscat de Kelibia — a sweet, aromatic white wine that is among the best Tunisian wines.
Arrival: Louage from Nabeul (45 min., 2€) or from Tunis (2h, 4€).
★ El Haouaria
At the northern tip of Cap Bon lies the small village of El Haouaria, known for two unusual attractions:
- Roman Quarries (Ghar el-Kebir): Huge underground caves from which the Romans (and before them the Carthaginians) quarried sandstone for the construction of Carthage. The caves extend 100 meters deep into the rock — an impressive experience.
- Falconry: El Haouaria maintains an ancient tradition of falconry. Every June, a falconry festival takes place, showcasing birds of prey. The migratory birds crossing Cap Bon on their way to Sicily make the region a paradise for birdwatchers.
